The work on the film started from a childhood memory of my own.
An older relative of mine picked mushrooms and invited relatives to dinner. Everyone got sick, except her, who didn't eat the mushrooms. It was an accident, no one died, but I felt that this could be a good place to start, he tells TT.
The film follows the old woman Michelle, who lives in a house in the countryside and socializes with her equally old friend. They have a common past as prostitutes, which is one of the reasons why Michelle's daughter Valencia has largely distanced herself from her mother.
Threatens the mother
Michelle's favorite is her grandson Lucas, but after Valencia got mushroom poisoned and blames her mother for doing it intentionally, the daughter threatens that Lucas will never get to see her again.
I wanted the film to feel realistic, to follow the lives of these two women, says Ozon.
They are old, they have withdrawn, they live simple lives. I had two brilliant actors in Helene Vincent and Josiane Balasko. They are old women, full of life, they accept their age, you see and feel their wrinkles.
The film has a slightly Hitchcock-like atmosphere at times, but is also characterized by humor.
Sometimes comedy comes when you least expect it. The actors come up with it, they contribute, and I'm always open to using it.
Talked to prostitutes
Ozon says that during the research work, he spoke with prostitutes and read many articles about how their children had reacted.
It was difficult for them to tackle it. Very often they took distance from their mothers, while others were more understanding. Both reactions were included when I wrote the script.
Francois Ozon is one of France's most prominent and prolific film directors. Already at this year's Venice festival, he presented a new film, "The Stranger", based on Albert Camus' novel.
I never think in genres. But when I've made a film, I always want to do something completely different. After a big-budget film, a low-budget one, and so on.
He loves to work in his home country, where he has the freedom to do almost whatever he wants. But it's not always easy to get the money.
"When autumn comes" was simple, it's a low-budget film. But it's always tough to reason with producers and financiers. I like that not everything has to be explained, I believe in the audience's intelligence. But producers are stupid, they want everything explained to them.
Gunnar Rehlin/TT
Facts: Francois Ozon
TT
Age: 57 years.
Lives: In Paris.
Occupation: Director, screenwriter.
Previous films in selection: "Under the sand", "Eight women", "Swimming pool", "Love on the run", "Potiche", "Behind closed doors", "Frantz", "Isabelle", "Double desire", "In the name of God", "Summer 85", "Everything went well", "Peter von Kant", "The crime is mine".
Current with: The Swedish cinema premiere of "When autumn comes" 24/10.
